Anything for the woman I love.
Chapter 40
Trinity
Tucked away beneath Zeus and three of his children, I stare at the man in front of me with one thought circulating through my mind.
Brody came back for me. Again.
More than anything, I want to kiss him, but the masks prevent me from grabbing him by the face and crushing my mouth to his. I can’t even smell him.
The heat of his hands bleeds through the back of my shirt, though. When the gunfire threatens panic and bodily harm, his strong arms ground me.
Brody came back for me, even when he shouldn’t have.
He’s battling the world to keep me safe, to ensure we can be together. He’s also kicking ass.
I love this monster of a man.
I don’t forgive him yet, not completely, but I will. Right now, I just care that he’s here.
With me. For me.
Brody fires one more shot, and then silence descends.
The orange gas settles on the cold, gray cement floors. Movement stops. Several minutes pass as we remain crouched in the dark, listening for danger.
Brody leans close to my ear. “I jammed another door open earlier. Keep the mask on until we’re outside, just in case.”
We slide sideways across the floor. Staying low, Brody rolls out from beneath the float first before gesturing me forward. I crawl out behind him, mindful of the heavy Glock in my hand.
Our footsteps echo softly as we creep past several floats—a green troll, a train engine, a giant trumpet—and Brody pauses to collect weapons from various hiding spots.
How the hell did he plan all this in such a short time? Guess “tactical” really is the guy’s middle name.
As we round a corner, a sliver of light ahead draws my eye to the propped-open door. The setting sun peeks through the tiny opening, casting a spotlight on the dust particles glittering through the air like snowflakes.
We’re so close to freedom. Just a few more…
The door crashes open to reveal a flushed Andrei, his empty hands clenched at his sides.
He glares at Brody and stalks toward us. “You!”
Seriously? You want to take Brody on again? He’s beaten you twice already…
Andrei grabs an old pipe from a scaffold and flings the metal at us.
I clutch Brody’s sleeve as icy fear ripples through me. Brody yanks me behind him, deflecting the pipe with his forearm. When the Russian charges, he pushes me out of the way. Andrei claws off Brody’s mask, then they start trading blows like cage fighters.
With the gas thinned out, Brody should be okay. I want to help, though. My fingers tighten around the gun, but I don’t trust my aim. I might hit Brody.
Frustration and fear swamp me. What can I do? I’m tired of feeling useless.
I yearn to fight. To protect the man who’s done so much for me.
To get a better view, I scramble up onto a nearby creepy clown float. Andrei punches Brody in the nose before dropping him to the floor. His blood sprays across the concrete.
I wince, my heart sinking straight into my shoes.
